The Junior Market maintained its resilience by month’s end, although it mostly traded lower than the December close for most of the month and ended slipping just half a point at the close of January, with the index declining by 11.11 points to finish the month at relatively stable 3,390.30, with Atlantic Hardware leading the market, as just under half of the companies listed gained, with trading ending with 22 rising and 23 declining.
Main Market performance outshines the Junior Market. When the incredible and unsustainable 700 percent increase in the price of West Indies Petroleum share price is removed, the average gain for the Main Market is 10 percent compared to 11 percent for the Junior Market. Losses are close as well, with an average of 7 percent for the Main Market and 11 percent for the Junior Market.
The early 2025 Junior Market listing, Atlantic Hardware led market gains with a 50 percent increase in January, driven by perceptions of strong hardware and building materials demand following the passage of Hurricane Melissa over Jamaica.
Jetcon Corporation followed closely with a 47 percent gain, benefiting from increased demand for new cars in Jamaica, with profit projected at 25 cents per the ICInsider.com for 2025, expect the price to keep on climbing. ISP Finance Services rounded out the top performers with a solid 24 percent advance, despite lacklustre profits for the nine months to September. Caribbean Assurance Brokers and One on One Educational Services both posted 15 percent gains, after recovering from declines in 2025, demonstrating continued investor appetite for some battered-down companies’ shares in the Junior Market, One on One also posted stable results from the first quarter to November, doubling profit for the 2024 first quarter, auguring well for 2026 fiscal results, but that may not be sufficient in moving the stock’s price much higher.
Everything Fresh experienced the steepest decline in the Junior Market with a 30 percent loss, as investors see the company that distributes fresh produce and other food items facing margin pressures and sales challenges, with less demand for its products from the hotel sector. Knutsford Express Services fell 29 percent, impacted by rising fuel costs and competition in inter-city transportation.
CAC 2000 declined 23 percent, while Consolidated Bakeries dropped 21 percent, unable to find a firm footing for sustainable growth and profit. Dolla Financial Services, despite maintaining high trading volumes of shares, fell 19 percent as investors took profits following the stock’s stronger performance in 2024, as they reassess prospects for 2026 that could result in a major rise in profits that will boost the stock.
At the close of January, the JSE Main Index ended at 346,437.16, with gains of 28,450.28 points for an 8.9 percent increase. The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index ended at 403,422.64 after rising 38,108.26 points up 10.4 percent and the JSE Select Index rose 603.96 points to 8,279.55 after rising by 7.9 percent. The gain in the market was not broad-based, as it arose from the prices of 16 stocks rising and 29 declining.
TransJamaican Highway posted a robust 33 percent gain, benefiting from increased traffic volumes and toll rate adjustments and taking on board the operations of the leg of the tolling road into the Mandeville area. The company operates Jamaica’s East-West toll road network under a concession with the Government of Jamaica.
The market closed after trading 24,529,732 shares with a value of $118,203,561, after a decline from 26,835,604 stock units at $357,812,042 on Thursday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 18. The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the fiscal year ending around August 2026.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund advanced $1.83 to end at $7.99 after a transfer of 136,908 shares, Scotia Group rose $1.46 and ended at $51.21 after the trading of 23,498 stocks, Seprod gained $5.98 to finish at $83.98 with 80,620 units crossing the exchange. West Indies Petroleum fell $1.65 to $10.55, with traders dealing in 209,310 stock units and Wisynco Group increased 50 cents to end at a 52 weeks high of $22.99 after an exchange of 32,362 shares.
The market closed with trading of 17,505,463 shares for $34,272,582 after sliding from 27,371,857 units at $39,808,880 on Thursday.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rose 24.93 points to close at 3,390.30.
Fontana lost 20 cents to end at $8.20 with investors trading 178,831 units, Future Energy advanced 11 cents in closing at $2.64 in an exchange of 59,560 stocks. GWest Corporation gained 14 cents to close at 80 cents with traders dealing in 920 units, Honey Bun slipped 8 cents and ended at $6.33 as investors exchanged 8,428 shares, Indies Pharma popped 6 cents to finish at $2.78 with 12,104 stock units clearing the market. ISP Finance sank 44 cents to $14.20 with investors dealing in just one stock, Lasco Financial increased 10 cents to end at $1.60 in an exchange of 3,171 shares, Lumber Depot climbed 18 cents in closing at $2.74 with investors swapping 8,187 stock units. ONE on ONE Educational rose 6 cents to finish at 99 cents with an exchange of 1,094,682 units, Regency Petroleum rallied 54 cents and ended at $4.20 after the trading of 2,536,692 stocks and Spur Tree Spices shed 8 cents to close at $1.02 after an exchange of 248,691 units.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index jumped 771.16 points to wrap up trading for the first month of 2026 at 355,590.95, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 847.04 points to end at 403,422.64, the JSE Main Index climbed 620.92 points to finish at 346,437.16, the Junior Market Index popped 24.93 points to 3,390.30 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 3.20 points to 265.00.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% rallied $2.19 in closing at $43, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% increased $397.50 to close at $2,599 and 138 Student Living preference share declined $24 to finish at $220.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 2,856.23 points to 402,575.60, the JSE Main Index slipped a mere 38.98 points to close at 345,816.24, while at the same time the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.85 points to close at 63.65.
At the close of the market, AS Bryden popped $2.90 to end at $34.10 with 199 shares passing through the market, Caribbean Cement rallied $1.05 to $107 with investors trading 18,047 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund slipped by just 35 cents and ended at $46.80 with 419 shares crossing the market. GraceKennedy fell 35 cents to finish at $70.25 in an exchange of 39,490 stock units, Guardian Holdings rose by $5 to $365 with 9,145 stock units changing hands, JMMB Group climbed 49 cents to close at $17.99 with 338,664 shares crossing the exchange. Kingston Properties increased 35 cents to $9.70 after a transfer of 201,764 stocks, Kingston Wharves slipped $2 to close at $35 as investors exchanged 7,471 units, Margaritaville lost $1.76 to finish at $11.66 with 1,015 stock units crossing the market. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy gained $3 and ended at $41 with an exchange of three shares, 138 Student Living dropped 40 centsto $3.08 with 23,750 units clearing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 88 cents to end at $6.16 with investors swapping 16,837 stocks.
Scotia Group declined $1.46 to $49.75 after an exchange of 98,922 stock units, Seprod fell $1.98 to close at $78 with investors dealing in 4,160 shares, Supreme Ventures advanced 45 cents to end at $17 in an exchange of 193,449 stock units. West Indies Petroleum popped 68 cents in closing at $12.20, with investors trading 133,676 stocks and Wisynco Group gained 69 cents and ended at a 52 weeks high of $22.49 after switching ownership of 323,607 units.
The market closed with trading of 27,371,857 shares for $39,808,880, up from an exchange of 36,522,902 stocks at $65,382,268 on the prior day.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index shed 19.51 points to close the month marginally down at 3,365.37. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Dolphin Cove declined $1.02 to $10.97 with traders dealing in 30,305 stocks, Fontana shed 10 cents to close at $8.40 with 32,745 units crossing the market, Fosrich increased 14 cents and ended at $2.35 with investors trading 9,115 stock units. Future Energy slid 16 cents to finish at $2.53 in an exchange of 79,576 shares, GWest Corporation slipped 12 cents in closing at 66 cents with investors trading 14,388 units, Indies Pharma popped 22 cents to end at $2.72 in an exchange of 6,278 stocks. ISP Finance rallied $2.69 to $14.64 with investors trading in a mere one stock unit, Lasco Financial slipped 10 cents in closing at $1.50 in trading of 17,892 shares, Lumber Depot dipped 10 cents to end at $2.56 as investors exchanged 36,381 stocks and Medical Disposables rose 28 cents and ended at $1.44 in trading 6,638 units.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index dipped by a mere 175.80 points to 354,819.79, the All Jamaican Composite Index sank 2,856.23 points to end at 402,575.60, the JSE Main Index slipped a mere 38.98 points to 345,816.24, the Junior Market Index declined 19.51 points to finish at 3,365.37 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 3.10 points to close at 268.20, up 26.4 percent for the year to date.
In the Junior Market trading, Kintyre Holdings led with 7.22 million shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 4.31 million stock units and Dolla Financial closed with trading in 3.73 million units.